As technology has continued to advance, life has become full of more and more good things. Without a doubt, one of the best things that our society has gained from the advances of technology is communications.

Consider for a few moments all of the amazing forms of communications that have made your life easier and richer. First and foremost in many peoples minds is the telephone. Even if you like to write letters once in a while, can you honestly imagine if letter writing and telegrams were the only way to communicate with people? Think of the countless ways that having phones have improved worldwide communications. My telephone allows me not only to call my next-door neighbor but to call a friend who has moved halfway around the world. Now with cell phones you can take your phone with you wherever you go. I heard a prediction several years ago that soon we would each have our own personal phone number that would reach us anywhere in the world. We are not far from that.

If having the telephone doesn’t impress you enough, think about the way the internet has improved communications and many other aspects of your life. The internet has literally connected people from every corner of the globe by the simple click of a button or two. Our communications with people have become easier, more frequent, and faster. You can send a message to a business partner in Tokyo and receive a reply within mere seconds. Amazing.

The improvements in communications have opened up a world of possibility to people in the area of travel. Places that were once impossible to reach are now not only accessible but also convenient and quick. Each time I sit in an airport I find myself amazed by the incredible communications system that keeps air traffic under control around the world. I can definitely see how an air traffic controller is the most stressful job in the world, but there is no way the job would even be possible without the intricate communications system we have available. A new system is coming online that will permit planes to “see” each other in the air. It will shorten flight times and increase efficiency. Private aircraft charter services are also becoming more popular and affordable making air travel less stressful for the passenger.

With a less advanced system of communications, life would be different for individuals around the world, but life would also be different for countries and international relations. Imagine trying to keep the peace with an overseas country by the exchange of letters? Decades would pass before any amount of substantial communication could take place. Chances are high that we would enjoy far fewer privileges to visit or move to other countries without a great communications system like what our world has in place.

Before you pick up the telephone or sit down to check your email, take a moment to be grateful for the affects of advanced communications in your world and in your life.